Car-coupling.



W. KELSO.

CAR COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 2. 1918.

1,302,056; Ptent'ed 1-. 29,1919.

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CAR COUPLING.

- APPLICATION FILED JAN. 2, 9]8- 1302,,956 Patented Apr. 29, 1919. 3 $HEET3-SHEET 3.

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WILLIALI KELSO, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE MCCOWAY 85 TORLEY COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGII, PENNSYLVANIA, CORPORATION OF PENN- SYLVANIA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

CAR-COUPLING.

Patented Apr. 29, 1919..

Application filed January 2, 1918. Serial No. 209,927.

My invention relates to the constructionof car couplers and its primary object is to provide efficient and reliably acting lock-set means for maintaining the coupler lock in lock-set position so that the knuckle may be subsequently rotated to open position. Although capable of general application, the invention is especially well adapted for use in car couplers wherein the coupler head is pivotally mounted upon the coupler stem. Generally stated, this object is accomplished by employing a lock-set member which is rotatably mounted on the coupler head and is adapted, under the influence of gravity, to move into supporting engagement with the lock of the coupler, the coupler head being provided with an incline down which the lock-set member moves when the lock is raised sufiiciently to permit the knuckle to swing outwardly.

In the drawings illustrating my invention the scope whereof is pointed out in the claims,

Figure 1 is a view, partly in plan and partly in horizontal section, of a car coupler embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line 2-2, Fig. 1, the movable parts within the coupler head being in elevation and the upper and lower plates of the coupler stem being shown in dotted lines.

Fig. 3 is asectional view on the line 33, Fig. 1. i

Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of the coupler, a portion of the coupler head being broken away to disclose the interior mechanism.

Fig. 5 is a detail view, partly in plan and partly in horizontal section, showing the relation of the parts whenthe lock is supported in lock-set position. 7

Fig. 61s a detail view, partly in front elevation and partly in vertical section, showing the relation of the parts when the lock is in lock-set position.

Fig. 7 is a detail view, partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section, showing the lock supported by the lock-set member.

Fig. 8 is a detail plan view of the lock-set member.

Fig. 9 is a front elevation of the lock-set member.

Fig. 10 is a side elevation of the lock-set member.

t Fig. 11 is a detail view, partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section, illustrating a modified form of the invention.

In the drawings, the coupler head is in dicated by the numeral 1. The knuckle 2 is pivotally mounted on the coupler head by means of a knuckle pin 3. The knuckle is prevented from rotating outwardly by a gravity actuated lock 4, which, as shown, is preferably of the vertically sliding type. A bell crank knuckle opener lever 5 is pivotally mounted upon the coupler head 1 by means of a pivot pin 6. When the lock 4 performs an extended unlocking movement the short arm 7 of the knuckle opener is engaged by the lug 8 projecting laterally from the lock, the knuckle opener 5 being thereby caused to rotate upon its pivot pin 6 and swing the knuckle 2 to open position. The lock 4 is lifted by means of a member 9 which also serves as a device for preventing the lock 4 from accidentally jarring to unlocked position while the coupler is in service. For this latter purpose the member 9 may be provided with a rearwardly extending portion 10 that is adapted to extend beneath a por tion of the coupler head 1 to thus prevent the lock 4: from being raised until the lug 10 is withdrawn from beneath the overhanging part of the coupler head. This withdrawal of the lug 10 is effected upon the initial lock actuating movement of the lock lifting member 9, the latter having for this purpose the requisite amount of lost motion with respect to the lock. The coupler head 1 is pivotally connected to the coupler stem by means of a pivot pin 11. The stem is composed of upper and lower spaced plates 12.

The foregoing features of construction are substantially identical with those disclosed in my patent No, 1,239,187 of September l,

1917; but it is to be understood that the form and arrangement of these parts are illustrative merely and are not to be regarded as essential details of construction.

The coupler is provided with lockset means through the instrumentality of which the lock 1 may be maintained in raised or unlocked position while the knuckle 2 is closed. The lock-set means involves a member 13 which is mounted on the coupler head 1 so as to extend between the coupler lock 4 and the pivot pin 11 by which the coupler head and coupler stem are connected. The member 13 has a downwardly extending leg 14: whereby it is mounted on the coupler head. The leg 14- enters an opening 15 in a rib 16 extending horizontally across the recess in the rear of the coupler head for the reception of the bars 12 of the coupler stem. The retaining leg 14L does not fit tightly within the recess 15 but has suliicient clearance to permit the lock-set member 13 to tilt forwardly and downwardly to lock-set posi-.

tion, as illustrated in Fig. 7. At one side of the leg ll the lock-set member 13 is provided with a projection 17 which rests upon the upper surface of the rib 16 adjacent the opening 15 in the latter. The other end, 18, of the lock-set member is adapted to extend beneath the lock 4 and support the same in unlocked or lock-set position. \Vhen the parts of the coupler are in locked position the forward end of the lock-set member rests against the rear face of the lock 4, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2; but when the lock is raised to unlocked position theend 18 of the lock-set member moves under the lock 4:. Prompt and positive action of the member 13 to lock-set position is insured by its movement down the inclined surface 19 of the rib 16 and by its simultaneous rotation or rolling on the projection 17 by which it is supported. The forward rotation and downward movement of the outer end of the lock-set member is arrested by its face or shoulder 20 coming in contact with the knuckle 2, as well illustrated in Fig. 5. The opening movement of the knuckle 2 pushes the lockset member 13 back to its normal position, the lock e1 being thus permitted to drop and ride upon the upper surface of the tail of the knuckle. In order to allow the lock-set member 13 to be readily forced back up the incline 19, as well as to permit the lock-set member to move to lock-set position substantially as soon as the lock 1 has been raised sufliciently to unlock the knuckle, the upper surface-of the lock-set member is beveled or inclined at its outer end, as indicated at 21.

To facilitate manufacture, the rib 16 that supports thelock-setrmember in the coupler head is preferably molded as a separate piece andcast first, being then laid in the coupler mold and becoming an integral part of'thecou-pler head when the latteris poured.

The modified form of construction illustrated in Fig. 11 is exactly like that heretofore described, except that the lock-set member 13 is unprovided with the projection 17, and the retaining leg 14: is lengthened sufficiently to permit its lower end to rest upon the upper surface of the lower bar or plate 12 of the coupler stem. The contact of the lower end of the upright leg 1 1 with the member 12 of the coupler stem enables the lock-set member 13 tohave a rolling or tilting movement or rotation similar to that obtained by the use of the projection 17 In this construction the coupler head is indi-.

cated by the numeral 1, the lock is indicated by the numeral 4, and 16 is the rib upon which the lock-set member is mounted.

I claim:

1. In a car coupler, the combination of a coupler stem, a coupler head pivotally mounted on said stem, a knuckle, a lock for said knuckle, and means mounted on said head for maintaining said lock in unlocked position while the knuckle is in closed position, said means involving a member mounted on said coupler head to the rear of said lock and adapted under the influence of gravity to move forwardly and support said lock in unlocked position.

2. In a car coupler, the combination of a coupler head, a knuckle, a lock for said knuckle, and means for maintaining said lock in unlocked position while the knuckle is in closed position, said means inyolving a member rotatably mounted on said head and adapted under the influence of gravity to move into supporting engagement with said lock, said coupler head being provided with an incline down which said rotatably mounted member slides when moving to its lock supporting position.

3. In a car coupler, the combination of a coupler stem, a coupler head pivotally mounted on said stem, a knuckle pivotally mounted on said head, a lock for said knuckle, and means for maintaining said lock in unlocked position while the knuckle is in closed position; said means involving a gravity actuated member interposed between said lock and the point of pivotal attachment of said coupler head and stem.

4. Ina car coupler, the combination of a coupler head, a knuckle, a lock for said knuckle, and means for maintaining said lock in unlocked position While the knuckle is in closed position, said means involving a member having an upright retaining leg, a lock engaging portion at one side of said leg and a projection at the other side of saidleg movably engaging a portion of said coupler head.

5. In a car coupler, the combination of a coupler head, a knuckle, a lock for said knuckle, and means for maintaining said lock in unlocked position while the knuckle is in closed position, said means involving a member having an upright leg whereby it is mounted on said head and adapted under the influence of gravity to move into supporting engagement with said lock.

6. In a car coupler, the combination of a coupler stem, a coupler head having a rearwardly open recess adapted to receive said coupler stem and having a rib extending across said recess, a knuckle, a lock for said knuckle, and means movably mounted on said rib for maintaining said lock in unlocked position while the knuckle is in closed position.

In testimony whereof I afi'ix my signature.

WILLIAM KELSO.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Eatents,

ashington, D. 0. 

